In recent years, revenues from the Elliott State Forest, a land asset of the Common School Fund, have been significantly curtailed because of Endangered Species Act litigation. As a result, the forest in Fiscal Year 2013 cost the Common School Fund about $3 million, instead of generating revenue for the fund.

As trustees of the fund, the State Land Board approved work by the Department of State Lands to examine and develop a range of ownership and management scenarios for the Elliott State Forest.

The Elliott Alternatives Project team, led by John Potter and Stephanie Hallock Cummins, began work sessions with a wide range of constituent groups in July and August to gain input into developing and analyzing alternatives. Economic consultants and a technical work group also have been fundamental to developing and modeling potential options. The team and Department staff are holding a second round of stakeholder meetings in September and early October to present findings from the modeling work.

On October 8, the Land Board will hold a special meeting in North Bend/Coos Bay to take public comments on the proposed alternatives. The Land Board’s December 9 meeting will be devoted to consideration of the alternatives report.

On Oct. 1, the Department of State Lands (DSL) will roll out a new program structure with three reconfigured work groups:

Aquatic Resource Management: includes the removal-fill regulatory and wetlands programs, and the staff that issue authorizations for use of state-owned waterways. The unit is structured around regions (northwest, southwest, mid-west and Portland metro), and also houses policy and planning staff, which includes wetland mitigation staff and other planners.

Common School Fund Property: includes the unclaimed property program, estates administration, real property management and the Eastern Region functions.

Business Operations and Support Services: includes all internal support functions such as IT, human resources, fiscal operations and agency clerical support.

Two legislative and policy analysts moved into the Director’s Office, and the South Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve reorganized around three core areas: Administration and Facilities, Education, and Science.

The day-to-day work of the agency will not change under the new structure, though some staff have reassigned territories and duties. DSL Director Mary Abrams said the reconfigured work units will allow customers to more easily understand how to access DSL services – for example, all waterway-related services will be in the same group, and staff will be cross-trained to help with both regulatory and proprietary work.

The reorganization also helps DSL comply with the 1:11 supervisor to staff ratio mandated by 2012 legislation.

We’re currently in the process of updating our website, but there may be pages and documents that reflect the old agency structure. Please bear with us as we work on this transition!

2015 Land Board Awards

​The Department of State Lands is now accepting nominations for Wetland, Stream and Partnership Awards. The Land Board’s annual awards honor exemplary, sustainable stewardship of Oregon’s natural resources and lands. Since the program began in 2004, honored projects have included dam removals in Linn and Tillamook counties; stream restoration in Deschutes, Clackamas, Wallowa and Union counties; wetland restoration projects in Clatsop, Klamath, Tillamook, Douglas, Multnomahand Lane counties; and recognition of dedicated partner organizations in Bend, Coos Bay and Portland. The deadline to receive nominations is Feb. 20, 2015.

In response to flooding, Oregonians may attempt to control streambank erosion through actions that could require emergency approval under Oregon’s removal-fill law.

In general, any new riprap, gravel-bar removal or moving a stream channel will require an emergency authorization from the Oregon Department of State Lands (DSL).

To obtain an expedited permit or for more information, Oregon property owners should call DSL during regular work hours at 503-986-5200 (Salem).During non-business hours, and on holidays, call Oregon Emergency Response at 1-800-452-0311.